Feed-water heater or superheater for fire-tube boilers.



J. W. PURVIS & L. W. STEEVES. FEED WATER HEATER 0R SUPERHEATER Toa FIRETUBE BoTLERs.

Patented June 12, 19W.

APPLICATLON FILED DEC. l5, 1915..

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTUM WITNESSES.-

Pilon-umu.. asuma-mu. n. c.

1. W. PURVIS L L. W. STEEVES FEED WATER HEATER on SUPERHEATER .EUR ETRETUBE BGTLERS.

- APPLICATION FILED DEC. I5, ISIS.

7 Patented Ju11e12, i917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

INVENTORS Jbhn/ Wlwww, l1@ w Wim/6.5,

Afl/017152)' llNltE @E EARN lb..

JOHN W. PURVIS, OF DETROIT, AND LORNE W. STEEVES, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

FEED-WATER OR fSUI'EIIELHLATER FOR FIRE-TUBE BOILERS.

Application yile'. December 15, 1915.

Britain, residing, respectively, at Uetrcit,`

county of lVayne, and at Jackson, in 'the county of Ja'cxson, an'd Stateof ll/lichigan,`

have invented ra new an'duseful Feed-later Heater or Sifip'erheater forFire-Tube Boilers, of which the following a specification.

rlhis invention has reference to a fee'd water heater for fire tubeboilers. also 'capable i of use as a. superheaten and its object is toprovide an efiicient 'feed water heater of such flexibility as to bereadily adapted to different re tube boilers either of the locomotivetype 'or of other types.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a heater madeup of or dinary and special fittings jointed together in a mannerpermitting the alining' fof the fittings or arranging them in more Iorless sinuous shapes with diverting tubes adapted to 'enter chosen onesof the fire tubes of the boiler, whereby the products of combustion areforced into closer Contact with the walls of the fire tubes and arelikewise brought into intimate contact with the water diif'erting tubes,so that the products of combustion are accelerated in their flow throughthe fire tubes, thus keepii'i'g the tubes cleaner than usual and thefeed water is heated even up to4 boiler pressure tem` perature.

The heater may beA used either as a feed water heater or as asuperheater, though' not intended for both uses at one time except inthecase that two of the heaters be employed.

box, thus 'avoiding cumbersome fixtures on the outside of the boiler. Noexhaust steam being used for heating purposes all of the exhaust steamis utilizable for producingV Specification of Letters Patent.

Then the heater is used on a traction boiler it 'is inclosed in thesmoke Patented J une l2, 19M.

Serial No. 67,023.

this specification. with the further understanding that while thedrawings show a practical forni of the invention, the latter is notconfined to any ,strict conformity with the showing yof the drawings,but may be changed and modified so long as such changes andmodifications come within the scope 'of the appended claims.

ln the drawings 11H Figure l is a longitiidinal 'section of a heatervcontaining a restricted number of parts'.

Fig. 2 is a 'plan view 'of a structure such as shown in Fig'. l butco'i'itziining a greater number of parts.

V3 'a' section o'n the line of Fig. 1..

Fig. d is a section 'on the line .Jr-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section 'on the line of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing a somewhat modifiedconstruction.

Referring" to the dra'wings,there is shown a small portion of an endplate l of 'a boiler, and also fire tubes 2i, which may be assumed toopen into the smoke box of a locomotive or traction lengine boiler.

The attachment is made up of suitable nun'iber ofV special fittings 3with end fittings 4, 5, respectively, the litting et constituting aninlet fitting and the fitting 5 constituting an 'outlet fitting. Thefitting 3 has oppositely directed faces 6, at respectively oppositeends. Each litting 3 is eloi'igaterl from one end toward the other andis comparatively narrowlVithin one end of the fitting is a passage `orclmml'ier 8 having a. continuation `9 at 'one end opening through theface G in a direction substantially perpendicular thereto. The other endof the litting has an interior chamber opening by way of a passage llthrough the face 7 in a direction substantially perpendici'ilar thereto.The chamber 8 is joined to the chamber 10 by a passage 12 communicating'by another passage '13 with aneck 1J: opening through one wall of thefitting and internally threaded, as indicated at l5. The chamber 10opens through an internally threaded neck 16 in alinement with the neck14. The passage lhas 'diametrically opposite matching longitudinalflanges 17 each with a longitudinal groove 18 opposite the correspondinggroove of the other flange, and these grooves enter the neck 14. EX-

tending from the fianges 17 toward one side of the passage 12 is a web19 separating the passage l2 from the neck 16 up to the grooves 1S.

The fitting 3 is formed on the side opposite the passage 9 with aninternally threaded lug 20 designed to receive one end of a threaded rod21.

The inlet fitting 4 is provided with an internally threaded neck 22 forreceiving a water inlet pipe 23 and the fitting 4 at the end remote fromthe neck 22 has a face 23 with a passage 24 therethrough and matchingthe shoulder 6 and passage 9 of the fitting 3. The threaded rod 2lextends through the passage 24 and the corresponding wall of the fitting4 and at the end remote from that entering the lug 20 the rod receives acap nut 25, whereby the fitting 4 is secured to the fitting 3 in anyangular relation thereto about the longitudinal axis of the rod 21, butwith the fitting 4 in free constant communication with the chamber 8 ofthe fitting 3.

The neck 16 has a screw plug 26 applied thereto and this plug isprovided at its inner end with a lug 27 which, when the plug is screwedtight, is in close relation to the corresponding face of the web 19.

There are as many fittings 3 provided as may be desired, and the face 7of each tting 3 is applied to the face 6 of the next fitting in order, ascrew rod 21 entering the threaded or socket lug 20 of such next fittingin order, while a cap nut 25 applied to the screw rod 21, which isextended through that wall of the fitting 3 o posite the passage l1,serves to clamp the fiorst fitting 3 to the second fitting 3, andsimilar arrangement is provided for joining the other fittings 3 in endto end arrangement. By this means a continuous tortuous passage isestablished for water through the series of fittings 3. The outletfitting 5 has a threaded neck 28 for the reception of an outlet pipe 29and is provided with a face or shoulder 30 designed to fit against theface or shoulder 7 of the last fitting 3 in order. A threaded rod 21entering a threaded socket formed in a lug 20a on the fitting 5, and acap nut 25 applied to the other end of the rod in a manner similar tothe cap `nuts .for the other fittings complete the joinder ofi' thefitting 5 to the last fitting 3 in order.

Screwed into each neck 14 is one end of a tube 31 of' a size to enter acorresponding fire tube 2 with its outer walls in spaced relation to theinner walls of the fire tube. That end of each tube 31 remote from theneck 14 has applied to it a closing having the end remote from the tube31 conical, as shown at 33, or of other suitable shape to offer smallimpediment to the fiow of fiuid past it. The exterior portion of plug 32the plug 32 has outstanding wings 34a thereon of a spread sufiicient tosnugly yet freely fit the interior of the tube 2 so as to centerl thetube 31 therein. Extending lengthwise of the tube 31 is a web 34 ofapproximately the internal diameter of the tube 31, so as to snugly fittherein. One end 35 of the web 34 is laterally expanded, so as to enterthe grooves 18. lVhere the expanded portion 35 joins the body of the web34 shoulders 3G are formed, and these shoulders rest upon the upper endof the tube 31, thereby sustaining the web 34 within the tube 31.

The web 34 with its end continuation 35 serves as a diverting membercausing water entering the chamber 8 to pass through the tube 31 alongone side of the web 34 to that end of the web adjacent to the plug 32,the web stopping short oft' such plug and the water then finds escape ina return direction through the tube 31 along the other side of the web34 to the chamber 10, such diverting of the course of the wateroccurring in each section of the heater where provided with a tube orwater leg 31 entering a fire tube 2.

The heater may be supplied with as many fittings or sections 3 as may bedesirable. Such a heater is readily fitted to the fire tubes ofdifferent styles of boilers, since each fitting or section is readilyarranged at any desired angle to the other fitting or fittings becauseeach fitting is jointed to the neighboring fittings, and hence may beturned upon the axes of the rods 21 to bring the tubes 31 into centeringarrangement with the fire tubes 2, such centering being facilitated bythe presence of the wings 34.

Where two or more water legs 31 are employed there is a correspondingnumber of fittings 3. In Fig. 1 it is assumed that but two fittings 3are employed, while in Fig. 2 four such fittings are indicated, andsince the tubes 31 are in alinement with the plugs 26 it follows thatthe structure of Fig. 2would be provided with four tubes 31. The showingof Fig. 2 indicates an arrangement whereby a heater having fourdiverting tubes 31 may be arranged so that these tubes entercorresponding fire tubes with the whole structure in compact form. Inthe event of the fire tubes being otherwise arranged the heater isreadily conformed to such arrangement by the simple expedient ofloosening the cap nuts 25, readjusting the sections 3 with relation toeach other, and then tightening the cap nuts.

In the drawings it is assumed that the joints between the fittings arepressure tight joints either by having the meeting faces ground, or bythe employment of suitable packing gaskets, as is customary, both meansof insuring tight joints being commonly employed.

The Whole structure is readily assembled or dismantled and also readilyvaried in size, and, aside from the inlet and outlet fittings,necessitating but one kind of fitting, this being the fitting 3 with theparts carried thereby. The heater is readily enlarged by simply addingmore fittings 3 With the parts belonging to these fittings, or theheater may be reduced in size by omitting the fittings 3 and partscarried thereby.

Fig. 6 shows a structure in moet part similar to the structure of Fig. 1except that instead of the grooved fianges 1T and web 19 there is a web19a having a passage 12n therethrough in line with the passage closed bythe plug i6, and seated in this passage is an expanded or bell end 36 ofa pipe 37, the other end of which pipe is also expanded as shown at 38to center such end of the pipe in the Water tube 3l. In order to avoidrestriction of flow of Water from the tube 31 into the pipe 37 the end38 of the pipe is slotted, as shoivn at 39, for an appropriate length.The expanded end 36 has its extremity swaged over,'as shown at 40, toengage the web 19 and the pipe 37 is held closely to its seat on the web192l by the lug 27 on the plug 26.

In other respects the structure of Fig. 6 corresponds to the structureof Fig. 1 and Where the parts are alike the same reference numerals havebeen used so it is unnecessary to repeat the description of thestructure with respect to Fig. 6.

1V ith either form of the heater thenstructure is readily applied vtodifferent forms of boilers since its capability of adjustment permitsfitting it to different makes of boilers Where the centers of the boilertubes vary in distance one from the other.

Then water is forced through the heater it enters through the fitting 4,and follows a somewhat tortuous path through the fittings 3, and then isdiverted into and returns from the water legs through the tubes 31 Where'the Water is subjected. to close contact with the hot fuel gases.Because of the constriction of the fire tubes by the presence of thetubes 31, a higher speed of flow of the fuel gases is caused andaccumulations deposited from the fuel gases are avoided, so that thefire tubes remain cleaner than otherwise. Moreover, the hot gases arebrought into more intimate contact with the Walls of the fire tubes andthe boiler Water is thus better heated. Furthermore, the hot gases arealso brought into intimate contact With the feed water flowing throughthe Water legs with the resultant that the feed Water may be heated to ahigher temperature 0r even to boiler pressure temperature beforeentering the boiler, thus reducing strains to a minimum.

As circumstances demand sections may be added or taken awa-y in order toget the desired temperature and the heaters may be set up in multiple toget the desired quantity.

The feed Water heater is productive of ,greater efficiency of the boilerand consequently its use permits the employment of a larger engine thanWould otherwise be the case.

That is claimed is:-

1. A feed Water heater comprising a series of fittings pivotallyconnected together with certa-in of the fittings provided with ivaterlegs adapted to enter the fire tubes of the steam boiler in spacedrelation to the Walls thereof, the course of the Water through thefittings and through the water legs being in one continuous series.

2. A feed Water heater comprising a series of fittings pivotallyconnected together With certain of the fittings provided with Water legsadapted to enter the fire tubes of the steam boiler in spaced relationto the Walls thereof, and said fittings having connecting means aboutwhich the fittings may be turned into different angular relations one tothe other, the course of the Water through the fittings and through thewater legs being in one continuous series.

3. A feed Water heater consisting of a series of fittings pivotallyconnected end to end in a continuous series With terminal fittingsadapted to receive inlet and outlet connections for feed water and eachof the intermediate fittings being provided with an extensionconstituting a water leg of a size to be inserted in a fire tube of aboiler, the course of the Water through the fittings and water legsbeing in one continuous series.

4i. A feed water heater comprising a series of connected fittings eachwith a passage therethrough and at the meeting ends having matchingengaging faces with pivot connections about which the fittings may beset one relative to the other into different angular relations, certainof the fittings being each provided With a Water leg adapted to enter afire tube of the boiler, the course of the Water through the fittingsand water legs being in one continuous series.

5. A feed Water heater comprising a series of connected fittings eachwith a passage therethrough and at the meeting ends having matchingengaging faces with pivot connections about which the fittings may beset one relative to the other into different angular relations andcertain of the fittings being each provided with a Water leg adapted toenter afire tube of the boiler, said Water leg comprising a tubularmember connected at one end to the fitting and at the other end providedwith a closing and centering means, and means Within the tube fordirecting Water entering the tube into outflowing and return streams andconstituting a division means between the inlet and outlet ends of thefitting, the course of the water through the fittings and water legsbeing in one continuous series.

(i. In a feed water heater, a heating unit comprising a fitting with awater passage therethrough with the ends of the fitting shaped forswivel connection to the corresponding ends of other fittings, and Waterdiverting means carried by the fitting and lodged within and projectingto one side of and beyond Said fitting', said Water diverting meansbeing adapted to lodge in a lire tube of a boiler.

7. In afeed water heater, a heating unit comprising a fitting with awater passage therethrough with the ends of the fitting shaped forswivel connection to the corresponding ends of other fittings, and waterdiverting means carried by the fitting and projecting to one side ofsaid fitting, said water diverting means being adapted to lodge in afire tube of a boiler, said Water diverting means comprising a tube ofsmaller diameter than the fire tube in which it is to lodge with aclosure for the end of the tube remote fromv the fitting, said closurehaving outstanding portions for engaging the inner walls of #the iiretube to center the water tube and said water tube having means fordiverting a stream of water from one end of the fitting lengthwisethrough the water tube and in a return direction along said water tubeto the other side of the fitting.

8. In a feed water heater, a heating unit comprising a fitting with awater passage therethrough with the ends of the fitting shaped forswivel connection to the correspending ends of other fittings, and waterdiverting means carried by the fitting and projecting to one side ofsaid fitting, said water diverting means being adapted to.

lodge in a fire tube of a boiler, said water diverting means comprisinga tube of smaller diameter than the fire tube in which it is to lodgewith a closure for the end of the tube remote from the iitting, saidclosure having outstanding portions for engaging the inner walls of thefire tube to center the water tube and said water tube having means fordiverting a stream of water 'from one end of' the fitting lengthwisethrough the water tube and in a return di rection along said water tubeto the other side of the fitting, said fitting having means of' accessto the interior thereof in line with the water tube for the introductionand re inoval of the water diverting means within the water tube.

9. A feed water heater comprising aL series of like units each with uawater passage therethrough and a side extension of said water passageadapted to be housed in a re tube of a boiler, the opposite ends of eachfitting being oppositely directed with relation to the length of thefitting to engage the corresponding ends of other fittings, each fittingbeing provided with a pivot pin at one end adapted to extend through acorresponding portion of the next tting in order, and a cap nut for eachpivot pin.

10. A feed water heater comprising a series of water circulating unitseach with a side extension constituting a water leg adapted to enter afire tube of a steam boiler, with the units having their ends in meetingswivel relation, and pivotal means for holding the meeting ends in suchswivel relation to permit the elongation and contraction of the heaterand the location of the water legs to enter differently related firetubes.

11. A feed water heater comprising a series of water circulating unitseach with a side extension constituting a Water leg adapted to enter alire tube of a steam boiler, with the units having' their ends inmeeting swivel relation, and pivotal means for holding the meeting endsin such swivel relation to permit the elongation and contraction of theheater and the location of the water legs to enter differently relatedfire tubes, said water heater having terminal fittings constitutinginlet and outlet members for the water heater with the passages throughthe fittings and through the water legs in continuous serial relation.

In testimony1 that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have heretoaffixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

J OI-IN W. PURVIS. LORNE W. STEEVES.

Witnesses:

L. S. MCCANN, H. K. BAKER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

